Headlines for Sunday, March 12, 2006

Amerman Racing's Balance overpowered her eight rivals in Sunday's $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) to make it back-to-back grade I victories for trainer David Hofmans and established herself as Southern California's leading contender for the May 5 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).

Peter Vegso's homebred Go Between, guided through a hole along the rail by Edgar Prado, outlasted a determined Up an Octave to win a neck decision in the $100,000 Palm Beach Handicap (gr. IIIT) at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds on the Gulfstream Park turf Sunday.

Following his impressive win in Saturday's $100,000 California Derby at Golden Gate, Kentucky Derby (gr. I) contender Cause to Believe is likely to make a visit to Hawthorne for the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. II) on April 8.

Lael Stables' 3-year-old Showing Up, in just his second career start Saturday, lowered the Gulfstream Park standard for the one-mile distance while defeating a first-level allowance field by 2 1/4 lengths.

Launching an impressive bid on the turn for home, odds-on choice Cause to Believe rallied from last to register an easy victory over his four rivals in Saturday's $100,000 California Derby for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields.

The New York Racing Association, through its contract with United Tote, linked with VeCommerce Inc., of Littleton, Mass., on March 7 to provide automated telephone account management and wagering functions to its current NYRA One account holders and any new subscribers from New York and Connecticut.

Due to persistent rain in Southern California, the training preview for the 2006 Barretts March Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training scheduled for Sunday has been rescheduled to Monday at 9 a. m. at Fairplex Park.